


Lessons Learned

by CivisCaeli



Category: Outsiders (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-30 02:12:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6404482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CivisCaeli/pseuds/CivisCaeli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU redo of S01E05 and onward. Sasil fluff. (Sally Ann/Hasil)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own the canon characters. Everything pre-owned belongs to its owner(s). No copyright infringement intended.

Hasil could see her moving inside the store from where he was standing. He had to look around periodically to make sure the law wasn't on his tail, sure, but it had been worth it for the chance to see her again. He caught up to her as she exited, ending her work for the night.

"Hey!" he called.

"What do you want?" she asked, her tone derisive despite her, internally, being surprised to see him again after the events that had transpired last time. He could tell she was still miffed about his run in with a cop and subsequent jailing, but he was determined to win her over, whatever the cost. He sighed, catching up to her steps.

"Well, I ah… wanted to apologize about our… date. Got in a little bit of trouble there. You mad?"

"It's not the first time I've been stood up," she answered, apathetic. "Won't be the last."

Hasil's mind searched for a proper response but he only managed a confused, "I'm not sure what that means, but…"

Sally Ann stopped him. "Don't worry about it. Gotta get home."

"You ain't..." he started. "You ain't gonna let me apologize? Got me a good one worked out. Had a long time to think about it."

"Could you just leave me alone?"

"Why would I do that?" Hasil chuckled. He knew it was a dangerous thing to do, but he couldn't help it. Leaving Sally Ann alone was, by far, the most absurd thing he'd heard in all his years. And considering the majority of that time had been spent on the mountain, that was saying something.

"It's not going to work, Hasil. We're too different."

"What you mean? Come on, we're both people! I'm mean, sure, you're a woman, I'm a man, but that sorta helps the situation, don't it?"

"'cept I live in the real world. And you live up there." The words cut into him in a way he could have only compared to the pain he'd felt upon losing two of his fingers not long ago. He didn't enjoy being reminded of that pain, and it was steadily increasing as she continued, pointing out their differences and all the reasons why they could never be together. The thought made his stomach sour. "I'm Black and you are _weird_. Just go away."

"Well look…" he tried. "Can I at least give you this?"

She turned and came forward, looking closer at his hands. "What is it?"

"Well, I made you a present 'cuz to be honest with you, I kinda knew my apology wasn't gonna be that good…" He waited for her, but she seemed hesitant, much to his dismay. "Come on, please?"

She relented, beckoning for it and coming forward to take the gift. Looking at her hands move to unwrap it, the anxiety began, making his own fingers twitch. "Be careful with it, it might…" he nervously voiced, hands moving to mimic hers. He worried about the more delicate parts of it, wanting it to be perfect for her… but she was already being careful, so he stopped, not wanting to ruin the big reveal. Hasil cleared his throat, becoming silent.

He could only gasp silently when she smiled and breathed approval at the sight of the bear. "It's a bear," he offered. "You know, bears… they're strong. They're fierce. Just like my caring for you."

"It's beautiful," she whispered, making Hasil's eyes move from hers, to her lips, and up, being caught by the apples of her cheeks. How he loved the way they made him melt and his heartbeat patter against his chest.

"Well, I'm glad you like it, because it took me…" the sound of car tires distracted him and he looked up, recognizing the familiar lights and shape coming toward them. He inched around the tree to hide from view, eyes watching the car cruise past as he finished. "…took me a lonnnng time to… make."

"What's wrong?" Sally Ann asked.

"Nothing."

But Sally Ann had followed Hasil's line of sight and, looking between Hasil and the car, immediately put the two together, remembering his recent experience at the receiving end of a tazering. "You're in trouble with the law?"

Hasil scoffed, giving her a sheepish look. "Well, to be honest with ya, I'm not really 'sposedtah… be down here.

Sally Ann mulled over his words, her fingers absently picking at the bark of the tree they hid behind. "…because of your people or mine?"

Chuckling darkly, Hasil released an equally sheepish, "…Both."

Holding the bear tightly, she thought for a moment, considering the danger he'd put himself in. It was one thing to break the law – everyone on the ground knew the mountain folk held no care for the law or its enforcement. But to defy his family just to see her? The gravity of that sacrifice filled her with butterflies and a surge of empathy that pushed her forward and into him. Gently, her lips found his, expressing a feeling of thanks she'd found no words adequate enough to describe.

Moving away, she looked up at him, coming quickly to her conclusion.

"I know a place that we can go."

* * *

It had gotten darker by the time they'd made it to the quiet little house Sally Ann had grown to find comfort in the sight of. She imagined he was used to this by now – being in the middle of nowhere and surrounded on all sides by vegetation. She was surprised when he touched her, stopping her in her tracks.

"Wait… who lives here?" he asked, peering up towards the darkened windows.

"A lady from my church," she said, thinking, _Ah… situational awareness. Must come in handy living the life that they do._ She couldn't help but appreciate his care and consideration. "It's okay… she's dead now."

"Okay…." She could tell the thought weirded him out a bit, so upon lifting the window to enter and beginning to light candles throughout the house, she explained. "She passed a couple of months ago. I come here to read sometimes. Other times, I draw or even play the piano. I like how quiet it is. Simple."

"Simple?" Hasil laughed quietly, not wanting to disturb the house's pleasant silence. He held his hand over the small warmth coming from one of the candles. "You call this simple?" If this was simple, he could only wonder what she'd consider his own home to be.

"I do!" Sally Ann softly responded with a giggle, before moving through a door and going deeper into the house to finish with the candles. Leaving the last one on a nearby desk, she returned to the main room to find Hasil undressing. She leaned to the side, resting against the door, before resting her knuckles against her lips demurely. She had to fight the desire to cover her eyes if only to stop her from staring and watching the light filter through the window and illuminate every rise and fall along the length of his body against the dim, candlelit room. The sight made her mouth dry.

"What… are you doing?" she asked, voice small.

Hasil gave an impish smile, looking her way. "What does it look like I'm doing? Co'mere," he motioned.

She spoke her words carefully as she moved closer, her hands finding the waistband of his clothes. Her fingers curved over his gently, ceasing their motion. She looked up at him, amused, "It looks like you've… got your clothes off."

"Not quite…" he teased, and she could feel his hands begin to tug down his underwear.

Sally Ann rose on her toes and kissed his cheek before shaking her head. "Not going to happen tonight, Hasil," she whispered. His face fell and he looked away, worried that he'd done something wrong. _Had she not liked what she'd seen?_ he wondered. Reading the conflict on his face, she continued, elaborating to soften the blow. "Hasil, it's not you. For one, I just don't do that. And two, I have to get going soon."

A look of surprise replaced the sadness. "Don't do that? Ya mean… Ever?

"Well," she answered, "never have, at least. Really want to, though, but I'm not married."

"Is that what your people do here? Only if married?"

"'course not. Few see a reason to wait, actually." Sally Ann looked down, growing quiet. "But I do."

Hasil tilted his head, curious now. "Why?"

"Because…" Sally Ann pursed her lips, thinking of how best to respond. "You know how you gave me that bear today?" She continued at Hasil's small nod, "Well, there's only one of those, right? Only one bear that you made, and only one that you've made for me?"

He nodded again, looking over at the bear on the table. Seeing it made him smile. He'd been working on it since the night they met at the store, making sure every detail was correct. He'd never spent that much time on anything for anyone but his parents, and he certainly hadn't created anything for an outsider before.

Sally Ann's voice called him back to her. "The fact that there's only one in the whole wide world… that makes it special. That's how I feel about being intimate. Having… sex. I can only do it for the first time once and I want it to be special. I want the person I'm with to know I saved my first time for them."

Hasil looked down, swallowing. On the mountain, they had rules for marriage and even monogamy, but not for sex, itself. And although, to him and his people, it was a strange thing to hold oneself back from a pleasure they wanted, he understood the aversion, having never felt comfortable enough with anyone on the mountain to do much past a kiss or two here. It never felt right. No one had ever caught his eye the way Sally Ann had and most women in the clan, tired of being the more forceful of the two, had grown weary of his inactivity and left him be as quickly as they'd started pursuing him.

Maybe he and Sally Ann weren't so different, he thought. Both outsiders within their own respective homes. "I think I get whatcha mean. You're different, Sally Ann. I like that."

Sally Ann's hand found his cheek and she smiled, grateful for his understanding. She kissed him softly, before responding. "I like you, Hasil. I'm sorry I have to go so soon."

Hasil leaned forward, his forehead finding her's as his eyes closed. "Mm, 't's okay. Can I see you again, though?" He felt her nose press against his, her breath soft against his lips.

"I have Bible study after work tomorrow... down the road at the local church? But after that, I'm free. I'll meet you here tomorrow if you want."

Hasil couldn't stop his cheeks from cresting into happy grin. He hadn't thought he'd be able to see her again so soon. "Sure…. Sure, that'd do me just fine." He moved closer to her, and kissed her nose slowly, happy to finally have her comfortable enough with him to allow it. He shivered at the smile she gave in response, feeling as if he'd float away were it not for her holding his hand.

"See you tomorrow, Hasil." He watched her leave.

And it was in that moment that knew those words would signify the beginning of the rest of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Undoing some subliminals. Sasil's really grown on me and I adore this coupling. :) Will add to this as needed.


	2. Chapter 2

Hasil could hear Sally Ann long before he could see her. Her steps were slow and careful and light, as if unsure of the terrain. Their caution reminded him of a deer's gentle movements and sounded much like the soft, breeze-like noise they'd make when disturbing the plants and grass. Hasil had spent many an early morning watching them travel through the forest from his tree top perch, knowing they were most active to graze at dawn and dusk each day.

He looked down at his hands to the piece of slightly carved wood within them. Smooth curves were already making themselves present on it, resembling a head and neck, and although he knew he'd have to put in quite a few more hours to make it look like he wanted, he could already visualize the final result.

He hid the item, then, putting it back into his bag before rising to greet Sally Ann. "Wh'hello, miss lady."

"Fancy meetin' _you_ here," drawled Sally Ann with a smile, her own bag in tow. She finished making her way up the hill and slid her thumbs into her back pockets when she stopped, looking up at the house. "Been out here long?"

"Nah… and even if'ah was, I wouldn't tell ya."

"I'll remember to expect nothin' less." Sally Ann shot him a teasing look, reaching for his hand. She took out a key this time, sliding it in the lock of the door and turning the knob. Hasil looked at the action curiously.

"If'ya had a key, why'd we go through the window last night?"

"I'd left it at home. Hadn't intended to come by here yesterday." She raised her bag as she spoke. "But I'm prepared today and brought food. Hopefully it's somethin' you like. I'll have to ask you what you guys eat later, and what you like."

"And _I_ , you. Got somethin' special in mind fo'ya one'ah these days."

Sally Ann glanced at Hasil with a smile, her eyes narrowing. "What're you hatchin' up in that head of yours?"

"Oh, nothin' much." Hasil looked around, whistling his "obvious" innocence. "Honest! I do know my way 'round a'good fire... but that'sa tale for another time." The look on his face was mischievous now, letting on that he was not about to divulge any of his secret plans anytime soon.

Amused, Sally Ann shook her head, giving in with a laugh. "Well fine, then. Suit yourself. But come on... I got somethin' to show ya."

Hasil followed her into the house, closing the door and lowering his bag to the ground gently, beneath a nearby table. Sally Ann continued in, placing her bag onto a side table against the wall. Rustling through it, she beckoned him with finger, turning around and holding her hands behind her back. He gave her an inquiring look before moving forward.

"I know it's not much, but… I wanted to getcha somethin' to help with our meeting here, since it didn't look like you already had one. I checked around first... from the feedback, it sounds like it'll hold up to life on the mountain. Water won't hurt it and it has a button to make it glow in the dark and everything."

"Y'didn't hafta do that fer me, Sally Ann…"

"I know, but… I wanted to," she replied, nervously biting her lip before revealing her gift. She hoped he'd like it.

It was in a small brown box, which she opened for him, exposing the round circle of a watch. Hasil was speechless and could only allow his jaw to drop as he looked from her face to her hands, coming closer. She gave it to him and he held it as if he were examining the world's most precious gem. "I... well, I know about you guys and readin', but what about numbers?"

"Krake has one'ah these," he said slowly, touching the face of the watch with a light tapping, in sync with the tempo of the moving second hand. "Taught me all 'bout the numbers and how they work."

Sally Ann was in awe of _his_ awe, and the way he stood, fascinated by the ticking clock. She watched his finger on the clock face, before looking up. "Krake?"

"Yeah…" he nodded, still watching the clock tick. "I help him make th'local brew. He calls'it a tam… " Hasil paused, trying to remember. "Eh… tahm-piece, ah think. Never really understood why though. I just call'ita time-keeper." His hands moved the watch around, his finger gliding against the raised words imprinted along the box. His eyebrows furrowed together and he looked up, offering a view of the words to Sally Ann. Looking at them, she obliged, reading them aloud for him.

"Expansion. Band. Watch" Hasil repeated appreciatively, only to do so again softly, before a grin began to spread across his face. His voice was soft, and a bit higher than usual as he found himself having to hold down waves of emotion he didn't really know how to express. "Thank ya kindly, Sally Ann. I ain't never had one'ah those. A… watch, before. Don't think anyone 'sides Krake has one either, 'least that I done seen."

Her voice had frozen in her throat at the sight of his face, coupled with the sound of his voice. She'd known that sense of distress well, having felt the same, she thought, that first time they'd met; even as she worked to restore order among the customers, her mind had been elsewhere, conflicted between wanting to stay in this world or escape through the doors with him that night, entering into his.

She was biting her lip again, butterflies wiggling, and stretching their wings within the core of her soul. They fluttered around, threatening to stretch her from the inside out until her heart had made adequate room for the man in front of her. Her voice took its time to emerge.

"Well, I… I realized I hadn't given you a time to meet for today… but, then I didn't know what time's like on the mountain, so I was sorta worried that you'd be waiting here for me all day."

"…so'that's why you asked?"

Sally Ann nodded. "I imagine it takes a while to come down the mountain. Didn't want you doing all that justa have to waste time waiting for me."

Hasil shook his head, reaching for her hand. "ts'never been'a waste for me, Sally Ann. Never will."

"Even so," she said, giving a nonchalant shrug. Pretending ambivalence, she turned to her bag again and pulling out food in sandwich bags. "Maybe… it'll come in handy. So at least you'll know when I get off work. …or go on lunch… or... break."

His response sounded incredulous: "You want me t' _stalk_ you."

Sally Ann turned her head to face him, surprised. "Ya mean you _weren't_ doin' that before?"

"Heavens no!" Hasil replied, laughing. He moved closer to her from behind, pressing his fingers against her waist. He nuzzled against her shoulder, ignoring the _"That was a token of my love"_ that had bubbled up into his thoughts to replace it with a soft, "that's jus' what we call courtin' up on the mountain."

His nose found the space behind her earlobe, the hair on his face tickling her. She shivered, giggling at the feeling before gasping softly at the feel of his lips on her ear. "Aren't you hungry, though?"

"Mmm," he murmured against her. "There'll be time enough f'that later."

* * *

"Why me, Hasil?" Sally Anne asked that evening, her fingers in his hair.

Night had started to fall, bringing an end to kisses until the candles had been lit again. They'd sat on the sofa after, talking about the new watch's features and foods the other liked, before looking through the meal Sally Ann had packed. Things ended with Sally Ann sitting on one side of the couch with Hasil on his back, his head resting in her lap.

His warm voice reached out to her in the darkness. "Whatchu mean, little lady?"

The corner of her lips rose. "Why'dya pick me? Of all people? Of... all women imaginable? Why me?"

He moved now, peering into her brown eyes before whispering. "You saw me."

"Well of course, I did..." she said, confused. "Everybody did... sorta hard to do anything else _but_ see you when you're driving into the store on ATVs."

Hasil pursed his lip in thought. "But... you _really_ saw me. As a'person. Usually, folk down here, just... glare at us, c'tempuously, like we aren't really human. Never really look _at_ us as much as through or against us... like wantin' to push us past th'city line an' off the very face of th'earth."

"You guys need your own star," Sally Ann offered. "One far, far away and just for you."

Hasil's eyes narrowed as he suppressed a laugh and sent a look of feigned suspicion her way, sharp as dull daggers. "Betch'your people would like that, wouldn't they?"

"Mmmhmmm," Sally Ann hummed with a giggle. She loved the way he phrased things. The way he could make his voice change and how he could express so much with little more than small sounds - high pitches, low tones and few words. Even over such a small amount of time, she'd quickly grown accustomed to his sense of humor and he, to hers. She wondered if he could imagine how empty she'd be without him; imagine how glad she was that he was here, in this tiniest of towns, and had found her, out of all the people in the world.

So, she had seen him. And so, it seemed, he had seen her. She could relate, as not many in that town paid attention to her either. Since graduating and starting her job, she'd been the cashier, spoken to but not seen. So invisible, she'd wondered if she were truly real, herself.

It hit her, how curious life was, to have the same one feeling be present in two of the most different people one could think up. Perhaps they were both in the process of becoming real, and the more time they spent in each other's presence, the more visible they'd become. The thought of that made her smile and lean down to whisper, "You're a real boy, Pinocchio."

"Pinno-..." he mouthed, nearly silent. Now it was his turn to be confused.

"Pinocchio," she kissed, lips traveling from his, down his chin, before moving away slightly. "Well known children's story down here," she explained. "About a man, who made a wooden puppet doll, attached to strings an'all..." her hands moved, imitated the hands one would imagine seeing done by a marionettist. Against the backdrop of lit candles, Hasil could see the shadow of her hands, making dark creatures on the ceiling. "To make it move its arms and legs."

Hasil nodded, gazing up at her as she spoke. He'd never heard of a marionettist before, but knew what a wooden doll was. A puppet, too. He'd made his share of simple ones for the children back home, and could remember the times they'd put on shows for the adults, but he'd never considered adding strings to them. He made note to remember to ask Sally Ann if she'd show him an example.

"The man who made the doll was awfully lonely, so he wished that it'd become a real boy. Which happened, but not at all the way he thought it would."

"One wish did that?"

Sally Ann gave a nod. "One wish, and a blue fairy came and granted it. But he was still a wooden boy, by then. Just didn't need strings, is all." Hasil wrinkled his nose now, which made her quiet down and wait for him.

"Well, what's one need with'a boy 'still likeleh to give splinters when ya hug 'im?" he asked. "Sounds like that fairy wasn't worth a hill a'beans, if ya ask me."

A soft giggle escaped Sally Ann, and she pressed her fingers to her lips, in thought, remembering the story. "Well, he became a flesh and blood boy eventually. Just took a lil while. Lots of mistakes along the way, including almost turnin' into a donkey..."

"Your kind have some mighty odd stories down here, Sally Ann..." Hasil teased, rising to sit against the couch's arm.

"Hey... simmer down, you." She tapped his arm lightly, playfully regaining his attention. "It's the moral that counts. Besides, he saves his dad, the puppet maker, from a whale," Sally Ann said, spying him out the corner of her eyes coyly. "And because he was so brave..."

"mm _hm,_ " Hasil encouraged, sliding closer to her until his lips were against her neck. It wasn't long before Sally Ann's eyelids began to dip.

"...the fairy... made him a real, live boy," she whispered.

"Well, mah mistake," he breathed, pulling her to straddle him and kissing the hollow of her throat now. She could feel the vibration of his voice tumble down the paths of her skin. "Cuz, that _is_ a true t'life story then, as I ain't never felt like anythin' real 'fore you laid those doe eyes on me, either. Moment ya did that, ya had m'hooked, easy as a fish in'a barrel."

Sally Ann moved until her arms were between his and his torso, her hands sliding until they came up backwards, fingers cupping his shoulders. She held herself to him, lifting her chin to make room. "That fast, huh?"

"Yes'm. An' I'd hav'it no other way."

"Ever wish things were different though? That you could change things, or... that maybe you'd grown up down here?"

Hasil shook his head. "Ain't gotta wish for that. Ah'got all ah could ever want right here, right now."

"You sure?" She was falling now. Head over heels and back again, and she never, ever wanted it to end.

He kissed a soft, reassuring "shhh" into her lips, before sealing her fate.

"Positive, Sally Ann. 'Cuz change or not, I'm certain it'd've all still led me right here, back t'you."


End file.
